Not Enough
by ZashleySilver
Summary: "Why did you do it, Sharpay?" "Because you love Gabriella." Sharpay is tired of coming in second to Gabriella in Troy's eyes, so she makes some changes. Troypay oneshot.
1. Part One

**Not Enough**

When you thought of Sharpay Evans, you would instantly think of her luscious blonde hair cascading down her back, or the sparkling pink outfits she wore everyday, or her self-centered attitude that caused her to be the world's biggest diva. You could picture her driving to school in her bubblegum pink car, or strutting down the halls like she owned the place, or her standing on the stage belting out a high note as the spotlight hit her perfectly. That was Sharpay.

But one Monday morning in her senior year, no one saw the little blond diva marching down the hallways. They saw something much, much different.

She could hear her peers whisper about her to each other. She could feel their eyes gluing themselves to her appearance. It wasn't anything new to her, but she knew this time they were whispering something different. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't their opinions she was interested in, and to just keep walking like she did every other day.

She was the last one to enter her homeroom that morning. She hesitated before turning the doorknob; did she really make the right the decision? Was what she did worth all of the stares and comments she'd receive today?

Without thinking of an answer, she opened the door to Ms. Darbus' class.

Never had her homeroom been this silent; not even when the class had to endure one of her speeches about the importance of the arts. Sharpay quickly scanned the room in hopes that someone had a positive response to her new look.

She saw Zeke in the back row looking at her with wide eyes. Sharpay couldn't see as much love in his eyes as she used to. She saw Kelsi in the very front, completely surprise. Sharpay couldn't tell if it was good or bad surprise, though. And then she saw Ryan in his usual seat next to her empty one. He had the same amount of sadness and disappointment written across his face as he did yesterday when everything changed. Not wanting to start crying again, she lowered her head and made her way to her seat.

Not in the mood to answer anyone's question, she took out her iPod and history notebook, and tried to take notes while listening to music. However, her plan did not succeed. She could still tell that everyone was looking at her, and she couldn't concentrate on her notes.

"Sharpay, please put your music player away," Ms. Darbus called from her desk in the front of the room, "you know there are no electronics allowed in school."

Sharpay sighed as she began to take her ear buds out. Once her iPod was securely back in her bag, Ms. Darbus stood before the class.

"Now, students, as you all know, the fall drama production will be having auditions beginning this week. As in the past, this year's performance will be a classic tragedy."

Sharpay tuned out her favorite teacher. She couldn't bear to hear about the performance she wouldn't be a part of. As of last week, she was no longer co-president of the drama club. She had quit, claiming that she wanted to be more focused on her studies and college. Ms. Darbus didn't believe the excuse when Sharpay told her Friday afternoon, but said nothing more than "You will be missed." Ryan didn't believe his sister either, and unlike the aging drama teacher, argued with her over the subject for the majority of the weekend. When it was obvious that she wasn't going to change her mind, Ryan gave up. He hadn't spoken to her since Sunday afternoon, and would only give her frustrated looks.

Sharpay turned her head back to see the girl who sat in the very back of the next row over. The tiny brunette was barely listening to their homeroom teacher too, and was occupying her time by doodling in her notebook. Sharpay noticed the tiny smile the girl would make as her hand made the same motion over and over again. Sharpay assumed she was drawing hearts around the name around the girl's boyfriend. She must have felt eyes glancing at her, because she looked up and met Sharpay's gaze.

Gabriella's tiny smile quickly faded the longer she looked at Sharpay. It was obvious that she was trying to figure out what made the diva change so much. She, like Ryan, was unimpressed. Unable to take the silent judgment, Sharpay broke their eye contact and turned back to the front of the room.

The bell rang, and Sharpay shot out of her seat. But before she could beat her classmates to the door, she knocked shoulders with someone in one of the front rows.

"Sorry," she mumbled, looking up at the person she bumped into. Her breath got caught in her throat for a moment as she looked into the crystal blue eyes of Troy.

"It's okay," he said weakly, looking at her from head to toe. Sharpay nodded and quickly exited the room.

_Be strong_, she told herself. _You did this for him, anyway._

* * *

><p>Never had Sharpay been stared at more than today. All of the times that freshman boys looked at her with adoration and girls with jealousy didn't even come close to the amount of looks she got today.<p>

She also had never felt more alone than before. She used to have the drama club, and Kelsi, and Zeke, and Ryan, and even Jimmie to be there for her, but no anymore. Kelsi and Zeke weren't sure what to say to her all day, even as the three worked on a lab during chemistry. Jimmie took one look at her in the hallway before looking for a new upperclassman to crush on. The drama club wasn't too keen with her now that she had quit, and Ryan spent his entire day with at least one of the Wildcats.

She knew she had a rocky history with the Wildcats, but she figured out of everyone in school, they'd be nicer to her than they were. Most of them spent the day avoiding eye contact with her. The only person who had been nice to her was Jason, who offered to be her partner in calculus for the day. He never brought up the subject of her appearance, but smiled and talked to her. He even tried telling a couple of jokes to make her laugh. She really appreciated that. But other than Jason, the Wildcats, her frenemies, isolated her as much as anyone else in the school.

Sharpay had been waiting for this day to be over since it began, because she knew the first day back would be the hardest. But why then, after the final bell, was she in the school gym, holding a basketball in her hands?

She knew why she was there; she was hoping to run into him. She knew her odds weren't very high, but she still stayed, and began dribbling and shooting the ball into the hoop.

* * *

><p>Troy had been standing in the locker room watching her shoot baskets from the crack in the door for nearly ten minutes now. He honestly couldn't believe his eyes. The Sharpay he knew, the one he had known since he was eleven, would never be caught dead wasting her time shooting hoops in the school gym. But then again, the girl alone in the gymnasium was not the same girl he had known for six years.<p>

Sharpay was no longer the loud blonde drama queen with the sparkling and expensive pink clothes. She had cut her long hair to her shoulders, and dyed it brown. She was wearing dark skinny jeans, a grey shirt, black Converse, and a brown leather jacket instead of some skirt, blouse and heal combination. But the biggest difference to Troy in Sharpay's appearance was that she no longer wore her usual bright, confident smile. Just like anyone else, Troy wanted to know why she had changed. But unlike anyone else, Troy was determined to find out.

"You're pretty good," he commented as he walked in. She spun around at the sound of his voice, clearly startled.

"You've been watching?"

"Yeah, not to sound creepy or anything. But you've only missed four out of thirty. That's impressive. When did you get so good?"

Sharpay shrugged, picked up the ball, and made another shot, "I don't know. Just something I like to do when I'm upset, I guess."

"Is that the only thing you do when you're upset?" Sharpay glanced over at his comment.

"You know you're the only person who's made an attempt to ask me. Why is that?"

"Maybe I care more." Sharpay gave a forced laugh.

"Yeah, maybe."

Troy walked closer to her, until they were only a few steps apart.

"I always liked the way you looked before." He confessed.

"No you didn't. No one did." Sharpay shot down.

"What makes you say that? I liked the way you looked because I knew you liked the way you looked. You were always so confident. I don't know, I just really liked that about you. It was one of your best qualities." Sharpay lowered her head at his kind comments. She knew she didn't deserve them.

"I didn't think I had any good qualities." She replied bitterly. For the first time she looked him in the eyes and saw the same sadness that she had seen in Ryan. She could tell that he was genuinely sad that she had changed.

"Why did you do it, Sharpay?"

Sharpay could feel her eyes begin to water the more she began to realize that he was sorry she changed.

"Because you love Gabriella."

For a moment, Troy didn't understand how that was an acceptable answer, but then it hit him. She quit the drama club to focus on school; she stopped wearing her flashy outfits; she traded her long blonde hair for shorter brown hair; she was trying to be Gabriella. And she wanted to be Gabriella…because while Sharpay loved him, he loved Gabriella.

"I'm sorry, Sharpay," he began, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be,"

"No, I am. I would never want to make you feel like you needed to change." Sharpay sniffled at his apology, but tried to put on a brave face.

"It was time, anyway. I was getting pretty tired of the way I used to look. I really hope people stop making a big deal about it, though. Worse things have happened than a girl changing her look." Sharpay explained.

"Yeah, but no one ever thought you'd turn yourself into Gabriella. I always thought you would have more self-respect than that." He could tell his words stung, but she needed to know.

"I didn't like myself, Troy. I didn't have any real friends or anything. I thought that changing my look a little would help me branch out or something. And I thought that maybe…if I looked more like Gabriella, then maybe you'd like me more. Because ever since she came here, and maybe even before, I've never been your first choice. And I'm just tired of that. The person who I was just…wasn't enough, Troy."

"Wasn't enough for who?" Troy asked.

"For everyone! For me and…and for you. Because if I was, then you and I would be together right now instead of you and Gabriella, and you know that." Sharpay lowered her head in shame. The pair stood in silence for a moment, contemplating their current conversation and situation. He couldn't feel worse for causing her to dislike herself, and all she wanted was for him to finally pick her over Gabriella.

"You were beautiful, you know," Troy said, tucking some strands of the unfamiliar short brown hair behind her ear, "And even though you changed, you still are."

She looked back up at him, and those sad blue eyes. She could see the sadness in her own reflecting back at her.

"Thank you," she whispered. Troy gave her that familiar weak smile again.

"Well, I should get going. I told my mom I'd help her in the yard," Troy said before he turned around and walked away. He stopped though, when he reached the gym doors, and looked back at the broken brunette girl, who had picked up the basketball and began to shoot baskets again.

"You were always more than enough, Sharpay."

* * *

><p><em>So I know it's been forever since I've written any HSM fic, or any fic for that matter. So I apologize for any errors I made, whether they're grammatical or factual or anything, and if it just sucks. But I was searching Zashley on Tumblr, and I found this semi-old pic of Zac, Vanessa, and Ashley in some interview, and it was when Ashley had just recently dyed her hair brown. And just because of their outfits and hairstyles, I couldn't help but think that Ashley and Vanessa looked really similar, and that was the inspiration for this oneshot. <em>

_Hope you liked it!_


	2. Part Two

**Not Enough**

_**Part Two**_

When you thought of Troy Bolton, you would instantly think of his honey colored, Bieber-esque surfer boy haircut, or the red and white Wildcat jackets he would wear on game days, or his caring nature that made him the most popular boy in school. You could picture him joking with his father in the halls, or eating lunch with the infamous Wildcat clique, or shooting the winning three pointer at the end of a championship game. That was Troy.

But one Tuesday morning in his senior year, no one saw the handsome basketball captain striding through the halls. They saw something much, much different.

Troy had stopped to talk to a few teachers that morning – all who had trouble looking him in the eye – causing him to be late for homeroom. He was a little nervous about walking in, but took a deep breath and turned the knob. He tried to ignore the looks his classmates were giving him, and took his seat in the front row.

"Erm, Mr. Bolton," Ms. Darbus began to ask, "May I ask why you were tardy? You missed my announcement about the upcoming student council elections."

"Sorry Ms. Darbus. I was talking to Mr. Hamilton about something. I have a note, though," Troy said, handing his teacher the yellow slip explaining his lateness. Ms. Darbus took it carefully, as if trying not to touch Troy directly and catch whatever disease he had, and nodded in thanks.

Out of impulse, Troy began to turn around in his seat to talk to Chad. However, the quickest glance at his friend forced Troy to immediately turn his attention back to the front of the room. The look that had been in Chad's eyes was one Troy had never seen before, at least not directed towards him. It was some combination of confusion, disrespect, and repulsion that could make you hate yourself in an instant. This look is why it took less than a nanosecond for Troy to realize that Chad wouldn't understand. That hurt.

_But this isn't for him_, he told himself. _It's for her._

As soon as the bell rang, Troy had jumped out of his seat. However, he didn't head immediately for the door to escape. Instead, he headed the opposite way, to a desk a few rows back. And just like the day before, he knocked shoulders with the student who sat at that desk.

"Sorry," Sharpay mumbled again for the second time in two days, looking away to avoid the burning gaze Troy was giving her. Instead of accepting her apology, Troy softly took hold of her chin, gently forcing her to look at him. Their eyes locked, both sets asking questions and looking for answers at the same time.

"Gym, after school. Please," Troy asked. After giving his face a once over, Sharpay sighed.

"Okay."

* * *

><p>Never had Troy been stared at more than today. All of the times that senior girls looked at him with sexual frustration and guys with envy didn't even come close to the amount of looks he got today. And while he wasn't fond of the new and not so positive attention, he knew he'd be getting it, and he hoped it would be worth it.<p>

He was used to the staring; even the negative staring. The students of East High weren't very fond of him when he was the first freshman to ever make Varisty, and again when he decided to break stereotypes and go out for the spring musical. The looks, he could handle. However, he had never been good at tuning out gossip. He didn't like hearing hushed conversations as he walked down the hall, especially knowing they were about him. He couldn't blame them, the gossipers; he just hoped it wouldn't last long.

As he headed to lunch, he noticed his father walking down the hall towards him, still wearing the same emotionless expression he had been wearing since yesterday afternoon.

"Come with me, Troy," Coach Bolton said in a deep, monotone voice once he reached his son.

"But Dad, I have lunch," Troy tried to protest. He wasn't in the mood to get into the same argument that took place last night.

"Just follow me, Troy." Sighing, Troy reluctantly followed his father down a few halls into the familiar boys' locker room, and finally entering the coach's room. The two stood there in silence for a while, the father never once taking his eyes off of his son, and the son never once taking his eyes off of the floor.

"Why, Troy?" Coach Bolton finally asked. Troy closed his eyes in aggravation.

"I already told you why."

"Well clearly what you said was so unbelievable that I still can't quite make sense of it." Troy could tell his dad was trying to keep his cool, but the volume of his voice alerted Troy that this would end the same way it did last night.

"It's just hair, Dad. And it's just clothes. It's all just superficial nonsense, why does it matter how I look?"

"Because that, mixed with your resignation from the basketball team and out-of-the-blue break up with Gabriella are signs that something is clearly wrong with you, Troy! Why would you ever think of quitting the team? Huh?"

"I told you, I just need a break. And if things work out the way I'm hoping, it won't be permanent. I just can't be on the team for a little while, okay?" Troy tried to explain.

"What has gotten in to you? Yesterday morning you're just fine and then you come home late looking like…that and saying you want to quit basketball! Think about the team, Troy. You're the captain, they need you. And think about your future. The Redhawks don't want to recruit someone who lost their touch because they needed to take a break in their senior year, the year that matters most!" Coach Bolton boomed.

"I know, Dad!"

"Then why would you do this, Troy?"

Silence overtook the time room, with the echo of Coach Bolton's booming voice still reverberating off the walls. The confusion in his dad's eyes and the anger spitting from his voice proved to Troy that he just wouldn't understand. His dad, and Chad, and everyone else at East High just would not even bother to take the time to listen to him and understand. He was alone on this one.

Looking his father straight in the eye, Troy calmly explained, "Because I need to help someone, and this is the only way I can."

And without giving his dad a chance to say something back, Troy walked out of the locker room.

* * *

><p>Sharpay had been standing by the gym doors for a little while now, just watching him. He was on the court, lazily dribbling a basketball. She didn't want to believe what she was seeing.<p>

Instead of the light brown hair that nearly covered his eyes, there was short hair so dark brown you'd think it was black, accompanied by bleach blonde highlights. He had abandoned his usual jeans, sneakers, and nice shirt combination for grey skinny jeans, black Converse, a black button-down, and a white tie.

He looked so unnatural, so uncomfortable. The sight broke her heart, because that was not Troy Bolton, and it was because of her.

"I heard you quit the team." She finally spoke. At the sound of her voice he turned to face her, a small smile showing how relieved he was that she showed up. He had his doubts.

"Where'd you hear that from?" He questioned teasingly, walking a bit closer to her.

"It's been the talk of the school all day. They say the king of East High gave up his thrown."

"Is that the only thing they've been saying?" Sharpay sighed.

"I think you know what I'm going to ask."

"I think you know what I'm going to answer." He responded.

"To be honest, I don't know. You're the last person who I ever thought would–"

"I love you," he cut off. She looked up at him – fully realizing how close they now were to each other – quizzically.

"What?"

"I love you. I love the way your nose scrunches up when you laugh. I love how you lose yourself in a song. I love how when you're giving a performance, you give it your all. I love how stubborn you can be. I love how much you love the macaroni and cheese that the cafeteria serves. I love things about you that I don't think you like about yourself."

"Why?" Was all Sharpay could think of responding with.

"Because those are all the things that make you Sharpay. They're all the things that Gabriella is not. They're all things that are a part of you, that no haircut or new wardrobe could change." At his words, Sharpay could feel her nose get warm and cheeks flush – sure signs that she was on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel you had to be someone else, Sharpay. No one deserves that." Troy apologized.

"But then why did you do this, Troy? If you hated that I changed the way I looked, why did you change the way you look too?" Her question forced a tear to fall from her eye. With one hand Troy cupped her cheek, using his thumb to wipe the tear away.

"To show you that it doesn't matter. Just because I changed the way I look on the outside doesn't mean I'm different. I'm still Troy. And just because you dye your hair brown and quit the drama club doesn't mean you're suddenly Gabriella. You're always going to be Sharpay; that won't change. And I'm glad about that."

"You are?" For the first time in days, Troy smiled.

"I am." He confirmed, letting go of her face and filling the new void in his hand with her hand. Sharpay looked down at their hands, and then looked up at him, their eyes locking again. No matter how much about themselves they changed, blue would always meet brown in the most powerfully passionate way.

"You are enough, Sharpay. No matter what you look like or what you do, you'll always be enough for me."

* * *

><p><em>Several people asked for a part two. I'm not that happy with how it turned out, but I hope you are.<em>


End file.
